Surgical



(No Model.)

A. J. CARPENTER. SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

No. 566,657. Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EmcE.

AUGUSTUS J. CARPENTER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOALEXANDER MYERS, OF SAME PLACE.

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent ll'o. 566,657, dated August25, 1896.

Application filed March 28, 1896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Aoousros J. CARPEN- TER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SurgicalAppliances; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is directed to improvements in surgical appliances, andwhile my improvements are susceptible of general utilization the sameare designed more especially for use in hospitals and other likeinstitutions for the treatment of patients.

The object of my invention is the production of simple and comparativelyinexpensive appliances for surgical and kindred uses by which theoperations attendant upon the care of patients are greatly facilitatedand involve less labor than heretofore on the part of the attendants,with proportionately less discomfort on the part of the patient.

Another object is the promotion, by the use of my invention, of neatnessand cleanliness, by which the danger of infection from contagiousdisease is greatly lessened.

The nature of my invention will be fully apparent from a reading of thefollowing detailed description, when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of animproved bed or cot forming a part of my invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view of the same, showing in full lines theposition of the parts when the bed is raised for occupancy and in dottedlines the position of the parts when the bed is lowered for the placingor removal of a patient; also showing an improved form of mattress andan improved commode adapted for use in connection with the bed andforming a part of my invention. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modifiedform of construction of commode. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of onetype of rubber covering to be employed in connec- Serial No. 585,296.(No model.)

tion with the bed and commode. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of anothertype of covering. Fig. 6,is a perspective view of a perforatedsupporting-plate to be employed in connection with the latter covering,and Fig. 7 isa a sectional view showing the arrangement during use ofthe latter covering and plate.

Referring to the said drawings by letter, A denotes my improved bed orcot, which consists of the side rails a a and foldable legs I) b, whichlatter are pivotally connected to the side rails a through rods Z) Z),which allow of the legs being manipulated to elevate or lower the bed,as best shown in Fig. 2. When elevated, the structure is secured bymeans of hooks a on the rails, which engage eyes on the legs. Thebed-bottom is shown at c and is composed of woven wire, and centrally orthereabout is a ring 0', by which is provided an opening for a purposeto be presently explained. The head-board cl is pivoted at its inner endto the bed-bottom and may be arranged horizontally or given anincline,the different degrees of inclination be- 7 5 ing maintained by means ofa curved rackbar 01 on each side of the head-board, which rack-barremovably engages a pin d arranged in a guide-strap d, in which latterthe bar is moved.

In connection with the head-board I employ an ordinary pillow 6, but themattress E is of peculiar construction, being provided at or near itscenter with an opening 6, which registers with the opening in thebed-bottom. This opening in the mattress is normally covered by acushion e which, when in place, gives an even surface to the mattress.

The commode is shown at f and consists of a funnel-shaped top f, thegreatest diameter of which is in excessof the diameter of the opening inthe bed-bottom, whereby the ring 0 of the latter will support thecommode, as shown in Fig. 2. This top f has an inner screw-threadedflange f which receives a re- 5 movablescrew-threaded cap or cover fBelow the top is a tube f*, which terminates in an enlargedscrew-threaded flange f to which 7 latter is secured the screw-threadedupper end of a receptacle f.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of the commode, which modificationextends only to the receptacle f. In said figure the receptacle f isshown as located some distance away from the bed, as, for instance,against the adjacent wall, and connection is made between it and thetube f* by a pipe g, which leads to the interior of the receptacle, andon the-opposite side of .the" latter: is ,an. opening; from which leadsaPiPQQ'Q aVing connection; with the sewer or other drain. At g is shown apipe leading from a flushing apparatus to the receptacle, the apparatusbeing o'f-usual: construction and not necessary to be here, shown ordescribed.

In Figs. 4 and-'5 are-shown two rubber eov-- erings, the first of which,h,risprovidedwith a central depending open-ended chute h, which, inpractice .is, lowered into, the top of; athe ..-commoide, wvhiletthegseeond covering s Zhasa .;c,entral iqperiillggcoveredlby a;piecefvlfli 2 o QfLgfiJIZGIOI'UOt'hQI'A material,?- having; a; porosity;z s.fl" ficientttoi allowof. the readypassage there-i.illlliqllghrdfiailiguild. L'Inconnectioniwiththisi atter :QQv-eringLLemI yL-the platej, (shown in iEig.6,-) .whichlis of sufiicient strength to2 bridgepthle opening; in'thei mattress ands-support ',.thezwei-ght [if"the patient. :Tliis plate; Thas:amqpehinginithecenter which is.eoveredj Eby; astoutsizireor. other, netting.

" iffihenperation 01f. myin proved beid o1having?beengpreviouslyisetforth, ,I will now' explain gthe uses, andtoperations of z the. other.-;pa ?ts: 0f.inyiniinvention.

' ilnlthe eventof ,arnecessity arisingi-forlthe g commode thipatient:iscaused.tomove away 3 5 f-pgmijhe; opening, the;cushion;iswithdrawn;

and the.commodeinserted,.its never removed, .andihecoveringhvor.theeovering 01 and plate 3', fdependentupontheuse .ofithe commode,areplacleid in position, ,and ,the patient returned 0 tohis,orhereentral,position. I'ln the event; of ,the'employmen tof,theLfirstE described ..commo'd,e :the manipulations ijusti describedare, a'fter the completion =0f the} operation, ;reversed,,andaafter-ward thecQm-E 5 .mode'is coveredand remove,d,xth,e.receptacle isunscrewed find detached andemptied. 'Where the modifiedformof commode'lSfl used, the. operationsare similar to those of anor'dinaryfflushing-closet,.as the flow of water from the apparatus willcause the proper cleansing of thereceptacle and pipes.

From theforegoing it willbe noted that, aside from the efliciency of myimproved appliances and the arising increased facility with which theparts may be manipulated to the comfort of the patient and the decreaseofilabor tothe attendants, the use of my invention promotes the greatestpossible degree of cleanliness and neatness, with the result ofhasteningthe recovery of the patient, due to the healthy condition ofthe surrounding air, and Ofprecluding the .spreadof disease fromv theunclean methods now "employed.

My improved; appliances, although very efficient, are comparatively verysimple in construction and operationsandmaylbeproduced atcomparatively-small cost.

ilzclaim as2my .invention-- A l1. .As-urgicaL appliance-i'coiinprising.arbed- .xloottom gprovided with an iopening, aheadboard; provided @withimeans. fonadj usting: its inclination, means,for elevating and? loweriing said lbed-bottomn-asnlattress havingian-,openii 1g:registeringwith-the opening =in-thebottom,airemovableucushion thereiior,-;a:= supporting perforated ;plateto i covertthe i openings, a coveringifor; the rmattresszand at platehaving a porous -.center,; andia commode removably arranged beneath theregistering openings.

.2. ,Incombination with a bed and its, inattress providedwith openings;2; commode having a funneleshaped upper end fitting ithe bed-openingaand gprovidedzwithra closure, 1 a

.securedto the bottom .of .theilatter.

.3. ,In combination with a com modefor vinvalid-beds, a, receptaclehaving; pipe connecftion .therewith .and avithlthe drain or ."sewer,

andra water flushcpipe leadinglto said receptacle.

ln testimon-y whereof I aflix:n ;y -signature in presence .oftwowitnesses.

AUGUSTUS CARPENTER 'Witnesses ARTHUR BROWNIN W. Fl. ,NoRTo dependingtube, andia' receptacle :removably

